A scanning force microscope mainly serves for a lateral and vertical high-resolution examination of surfaces, respectively (in particular a topographic examination of surfaces). A measuring probe includes, for example, a leaf spring or cantilever with a nanoscopically small needle (also referred to as measuring tip or measuring probe tip). The needle or measuring probe tip is guided (i.e., scanned) over the surface and the deflection of the cantilever is detected based on the interaction of the cantilever with the surface. Depending on a surface condition of the sample, the deflection of the cantilever is recorded and scanned, respectively, in a position-dependent manner and/or the tracking of the probe is recorded and scanned, respectively. The deflection of the cantilever and the tip, respectively, may be measured capacitively (in particular piezo electrically) or by optical sensors. This method enables a structural examination of the surface of the sample up to an atomic resolution. The distance of the cantilever to the surface of the sample to be examined can be adjusted very accurately. Thereby, different measuring methods, for example contact mode, non-contact mode, tapping mode, sensing mode (e.g., in an atomic force microscope (AFM)), etc. can be realized.
Depending on the operation mode, besides attracting long-range Van der Waals forces and capillary forces, also strong repelling forces with low range can be used in order to obtain topographical information or chemical information of the sample surface. Furthermore, sample properties such as electrical conductivity, surface charges, elastic modulus, adhesion, electrochemical potential, piezo electrical properties, infrared absorption and/or temperature phase transitions can be determined. In addition, scanning force microscopes are also used as magnetic force microscope, friction force microscope, current-voltage microscopes or also scanning-Kelvin-microscopes. Depending on the purpose of a scanning probe microscope, besides measuring probes made of silicon and silicon nitride, respectively, different coated measuring probes may be used (for example gold coated, platinum coated or carbon coated measuring probes). The coating of the measuring probes is usually performed at the bottom side, thus that side at which the measuring tip is located. Coating processes in which the entire measuring probe is coated usually do not guarantee a continuous contacting between top side and bottom side. Then, an electrical contacting of the bottom side of the sample with the scanning probe microscope is to be realized. It shall be ensured that the transition resistance between scanning probe microscope and measuring probe does not significantly change over the lifetime of the device.
General prior art which relates to the mounting of a measuring probe to a scanning probe microscope is disclosed in EP 1,012,862 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,717,132.
Conventionally, it is still a challenge to handle a sensitive measuring probe of a scanning probe microscope and to exchange, if necessary, without impairing the reproducibility and accuracy during operation of the scanning probe microscope.